Record album carrier



JulyA 18, 1950 w. c. woLsKl RECORD ALBUM CARRIER Filed Jan. 2. 1948 K Z, m s, WM C. M L M /a 31 Hrry Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORD ALBUM 'CARRIER William C. Wolski, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 2, 1948, Serial No. 231

6 Claims.

-The present invention relates to devices for carrying phonograph records and more specifically to a portable carrier adapted to carry a number of record albums. In introduction, it may be stated that although the need for some appropriate form of portable container for phonograph records or record albums has long been recognized, yet the types of devices heretofore devised have been quite unsatisfactory; either because their inherent design is such that they are necessarily expensive to manufacture and heavy and cumbersome in use, or else because they provide inadequate protection for the records in transit.

It is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to provide a record carrier having a novel construction and relationship of parts that gives adequate support and protection to the record albums and to the records they contain, 4and at the same time is light in weight and sufficiently economical in manufacture as to be acceptable to the trade.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an album carrier of the general type indicated, but characterized by an open yframework construction, having adequate means to protect the albums from damage, yet at the same time leaving almost the entire front cover surfaces of the albums exposed to view. In this connection it is pointed out the utilization of a carrier having structural members only along the corners of the albums not only results in a device that is extremely light in weight in proportion to its size, but also is particularly acceptable to: users of the device, since it allows instant identification of the records carried without opening the carrier. Also, many types of record albums now manufactured are provided with highly ornamental covers and, with the open type frame, the ornamental features of the album are exposed to View in such a manner as to further enhance the appearance of the carrier.

The above objects are accomplished in the present invention by the provision of a carrier in the form of an open metal frame, having corner Vpockets to receive each of the outer corners of the albums,vand strips or flanges extending between these pockets to give protection to the album along the full length of each of its edges. In a preferred embodiment of the invention thesev pockets are formed by the provision of substantially identical upper and lower frames in the form of oppositely oriented flanged plates, so that the lower plate provides a full length socket to receive the bottom edge of the albums, while the 2 upper plate forms a full length cover at the top. A pair of buckles are provided so that the top may be removed to give access to the records.

Referring now to the drawing attached to and forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a record album carrier constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. The album is shown in assembled position, but empty.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the carrier with record albums in place and the cover partially lifted.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure l.

The carrier includes a bottom socket I0 which, in the form of the invention shown, is constructed of a single piece of sheet metal, with a at bottom plate II, a pair of upwardly extending end flanges I2 and I3, and narrow side flanges I4 and I5 having widened portions at each end to form corner pockets I6, II, I3 and I9. The corner pockets thus include three internal surfaces at right angles to each other, so that they are arranged to receive and fit the lower corners of the record albums 2| when placed in the carrier. The top frame or cover of the device may be in the form of an inverted socket 22 identical to the socket but oppositely oriented. Its ilat plate 23 serves as a cover for the albums, while the end flanges 24 and side flanges 25 protect the upper edges of the albums. The lower frame I0 and upper frame 22 are secured to each other by tie members which are preferably in the form of flat resilient spring links 26, 21, 28 and 29. These may be riveted or otherwise secured to the frame Il! at its corners, and extend upwardly to the cover 22, where each pair of links is joined by one of the plates 3I and 32. Detachable latches or buckles 33 and 34 are carried on the plates 3l and 32 to engage the ttings 35 and 3B on the end flanges 24 of the cover, so thatthese buckles interlock the bottom socket and the cover. A handle 31 is attached to the cover to lift the device.

The interior surfaces of the bottom socket I0 and cover 22 may be covered with a fabric or flocked surface to prevent wear on the albums and to improve the appearance of the device, and the outer surfaces may be finished to add to its attractive appearance. Also, if desired, resilient feet 38 may be mounted at the corners of the bottom socket I0 so that the carrier may be placedl on polished surfaces of furniture without fear of scratching or damaging the finish.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the teachings of this disclosure provide a carrier adapted to exactly iit standard size phonograph albums and, since the four corners of each album are fitted into the corner pockets of the bottom socket and cover, the corners are adequately protected against any damage by impact as the carrier is moved. Also, the edges of the album covers between the corners are protected against their entire length by the spring links 2E, 21, 28 and 29, and along thel'other edges'by'the flanges I5 and 25 of the bottom member and cover. This open framework gives complete protection to the album, yet at the same time makes possible the provision of the carrier that is unusually light in weight and consequently economical to manu,

facture. The carrier is attractive in "appearance, not only because of its own design, butl alsoby reason of the fact that it exposes the front cover of the album so that any ornamentation, such'v as indicated at 39, is visible and so that the album mays be identiedIby;titlesorother'iindicia.

The form of the? invention!- illustrated 'inl the drawings andfdescribed herein 'isthepresent f-pref'erred, commercial 'embodimentotthis/teach ing and is believed f-wellsuited to `'ades'cription'i' al..

the advantages-tobe gained thereby. Inl-the preferred construction. the bottomsocketfand cover i aref'each formed-Pinafsingle piece# but'ifit'` willbe apparent that the different: corner pockets may. be

'separately formed andi Joined by; connecting links, Y

'if desired. llt-is alsolto be recognized. that'the invention is subject to various othermddifications and variations in'l-the shapeandrelationship of tha partswi'thout departingfromthe teachings of this disclosure nor sacricing iall of 'the 4advvarita'gesgained'-thereby, and yit isa'ccordingly pointed' 'out thatthe'scope of this inventionexytends to lany i modication )or Variation Icoming @within the terms ofthe. appended claims.

Having vth1.`1s-'oles'cribedthe invention, what 'I claim 'as .'newand desire to protectI-by Ur'i'ited States Letters'f'Patent is 1. In a record-albumi carrierpthel combination of a shallow rectangularbottom socketga'ndI-'a :shallow rectangular cover? lsocket identical with the f bottom f socketffland oppositely; disposed i each of sa-id sockets comprising'a'atLplate withffianges 'at the"side's and ends, said-'ends 'l'iaving .widened iian'ged portions .meetingl at'frightY anglesv toxeach other at the- `cor-ners to forrnpockets tolfre'ceive 'the corners lof *albums in 'thacarriem thetop and` bottom `sockets beingspa'ced Lapartffro'mi'each other by alplurality of flat isp'ring stripsvextending from each lcornerio'r"y onefsocket tovv thetcorre- :spendi-ng corner I ofi the'. other; -togetlflergyith detachable `connectorsiinterlocking vthe strips' 4with oneiof i the fsocketsand a`l1andle0on thercover socketfor lifting the'carrier.

`2.'-Infa`recordf'album1carrier, the `corrrbiriation of la lshallow .rectangular ivbo'ttofm socket,v4 and an` inverted shallow rectangularcoverl socket; each of said sockets comprising-ia flat. plate with flanges ati the sides and ends,sai'd':e`nds having :widened flanged portions meeting attright angles-ftofreach 'otheivfatther corners to formipocketsto receive the corners of albums in the carrier;ther.top and bottom zsockets -being :spaced 4apart :from \-eac`h .other `byia plurality'rof links f' having fendi-portions lxe'dly securedtol the bottomfsocket andy-provided with `operable means atY the opposite ends Ithereof to 'f removably attach said vcover s`ocket to said links; together with a handle for lifting the carrier.

3. In a record album carrier, the combination of a pair of shallow rectangular sockets, identical 5 with each other and oppositely disposed in a vertical plane and having corner pockets to receive the corners of albums in the carrier; the opposite sockets being spaced apart from each othery and joined by a plurality of link connections having lend"l portionsfxedly secured to one of said sockets and provided with operable means at the opposite ends thereof to removably attach the other of said sockets to said link connections, togetherwth a handle for lifting the carrier.

4. In a record album carrier, the combination "of a pair'ofi'shallow rectangular sockets, identical =with 'each other and oppositely disposed; each of said sockets comprising a flat plate with anges atthe-sides and ends, said ends having widened 2n iianged portions meeting at right angles to each tothergatthecorners: to fform'pocketsfvto receive the: corners fof albumslinthelcarrier,theazopposite wsocketsJbeirigspaoedfapart Afrom'` each'l other fand joined by a plurality of stripfconnectionsiextendl ng `l-fbetweven; their Icor'ners,iisaid'strip'l connections hai/Ting; endpcrtions iixedlysecuredltolone off said isocketsland'provided 4kwith "operableiflatchfflmeans Coperatively fassociated 'lwith `the "ropposite yfends thereof and farra'nge'd to removably attach f the :in "otheriof' said fso'cketsftossaid'v strip'i'connections.

-5. In arecord ia'lbum lcarrieigfthe combination of Tan .'op'e'nl frame having a fiplurality of hanged ncornerpockets spacedapartfrom each'othenlwith a plurality 'Tof kl link iconnections 1I comprising f dat 25 sprin'g s'trips havin-g fend portions A'respectively 'xedlysecur'edtoand lextending 'from' eachfcorner lpocketzofLonegroup f adjacent pockets ;l together withoperablemeans i operatively :associated with .-theoppositeendlportions of said springrstripszfto v4,0 removably: attach the -other group -ofadjacent pocketsito-theJopenfframe. 6. In a record album carriert'he( combination of anropen'framefhaving a bottom 'grouparid a ltopfgrou'p offflan'ged r'corne'rfipocketsf spaced' apart 45 from eachSotheryfav plurality :of link-connections I comprising llfiat spring strips fh'aving-*endftportiori's vrespectively ixedly 'secured to and 4exterrding from each: corner pocket-.2 of'- therbottomgroupfof Vper'ike-ts, and operable 'means operatively :fasse- 50 fciated "fvvith `:fthe opposite "end f portions `of wsaid springffstripsfto removably; attach v.thetopf-group vof pockets to" the open frame; said dat strips-being resilient'. land '.'adaptable jto tbe bent outwardly-.of -the bottom-'group "oiapockets'fwhen the `topegrcuip 55 Iof; pockets-'are detachedthereby'to facilitate in- -serti'on ffof `lvall'our'ns -ir-ito said fbottom c group Aof lpockets. Y ,l A-WlILlIIAM C. "WOLSKL,

U0 i vrIt'EllfERENC*ESfGEEtElD vThe'llowing references are of "record 'in the le of this-patent: v UNrrED sfr-Ares PATENTS 

